Internal combustion engine



April J. M. WILLIAMS, JR 1,854,285

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 int Inventor 1 John M. Wflliams, JP.

April 19, 1932.

J. M. WILLIAMS, JR

INTERNAL COMBUST ION ENGINE Filed Feb. 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 19, 1932 ares rem" FEE JOE-IN M. WILLIAMS, 33., OF WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Application filedFebruary 7, 1930. Serial No. 426,490.

M i ti l t t improvements i mg a modification of the construction shown internal combustion engines. I t yv In accordance with my invention, an in- III gw y y 1 1 ternal combustion engine is provided which lnttmal 0OmbuSt19I1 englne CQIIIPTISiIIg t om i li d t ti h i cyllnderconstructlons and 11 each hav ng openin s or passages providing respectively the p p gs p age 12 d 3 provldlng for fluid admission into and fluid exhaust e p y flllld a l l t and from the cylinder, and a piston operable in fiuld ll rom the cyhnder 14c, and a pisthe cylinder and provided with valve means ton 15 p le h h cylinder and connected 10 received and having a sliding fit in one 9 the Common Cra k shaft by the connect- 6c of such openings or passages and operable g 9 A POItIOII h ylinder during operating action of the piston in the head 13 dlsposed Substantially trally Wlth cylinder to establish and cut oil communicar p t0 e sp ed r 111 the cyllnder wall tion alternately between the opening or pas- 18 0 P F B he annular space or passage 15 Sage d th li d l9 communicating at its upper end with the 6 More particularly in accordance with my eXha-llst opening or passage invention, an internal combustion engine is The p H 5 111 ach cyllnder 1s inverted, provided which comprises cylinder construch p y dllectfid Y F PgQP tion having openings or passages rovidin t1on recelved by and having a shdmgflt respectively for fluid admission into and 111 the 211111111211 P ssage 19 and const tutlng to fluid exhaust from the cylinder, and an in- Valve means a V lve member operable to erted piston perable in the ylinder and establlsh and Cllt Ofi communication alterhaving an upwardly directed flange portion iv y between yhnder 14 and the lower end received by and slidable within one of such 9 P ag 19. h1 purpose, theflange 20 openings or passages and operable to estabprovlded- Wlth h clrwinferentlally (115' lish and cut oft communication alternately Posed p g 21 extendlng wa dly as between the cylinder and the opening or Shown from the ee edge thereof. 1 passage upon operation of the piston in the T cycle 9 pe atlon W111 now be ex- 1i d plamed, starting wlth piston l5 at the end My invention resides in the improved conof a Worklng Stroke ml ng y 111 h struction for internal combustion engines extlfilme Frank-end 1 1 31 11, as shown at the hereinafter described and claimed. left 111 f which i discharge of the For the purpose of illustrating my invenp h g s W111 he 'ng pl ce from the v 7 tion, several embodiments thereof are shown cyhhder lhto the exhaust Opehlhg Passage 3 in the drawings, in which 13 by way of passages 21, as indicated by the 55 Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view MTOWS- h y Fi P f e a of an internal combustion engine embodvfresh exploslve Charge 111133 mdlcated by mg my invention; the arrows, enter the cylinder from the crank- Fig: 2 is a reduced sectional view, the seccase Way of h annular lhlet passage tion taken on the line in Fin, or manlfold 12 and circumferentially spaced and 4: arviews i' s' 1 openings 23 1n flange 20 at the base thereof, fi d Qt Durlng the first part of the upward stroke i t m t 1 rue ions em 0C the remainder of the spent gases are driven 2 hW hv ahead of the incoming fresh charge, and ex- 45 Fig. 5 1s a sectronalview, the section taken peued by Way of passages 21 mm the exhaust 5 Oh the hhe 55 m gopening or passage 13, after which the pis- Fig. 6 1s a fragmentary perspectlve YI W, ton will have moved upwardly to a position partly broken away,.1llustrat1ng a modlficawhereat openings 23 are out of registration tion; and with the complementary openings 24 in the 50 Flg. 7 1s a view similar to Fig. 4, illustratcylinder wall, each of which is in direct communication with inlet passage 12. In such position of the piston, the passages 21 will be entirely above and beyond the lower edge of cylinder portion 17, and the solid portion of the flange or valve member 20 will be received by and accordingly effective to close the lower end of the annular passage 19 and cut off communication between the same and the cylinder. During the remainder of the upward stroke of the piston, the fresh explosive charge will be compressed. lVhen the piston is in, or substantially in the extreme headend position, as shown to the right in Fig. 1, the spark plug operates in the usual manner to ignite the charge. Ehe piston is then driven downwardly, on the power stroke. After downward movement of the piston through the greater part of such stroke, the solid portion of the flange or valve member 20 will have been withdrawn from passage 19 to open the lower end thereof and again establish communication between the cylinder and exhaust opening 13 by way of passages 19 and 21'. After further downward movement of the piston, during which a substantial part of the spent gases will be exhausted, passages 23will begin to register with the complementary passages 2a to permit admission into the cylinder, by way of passage 12, of a fresh explosive charge compressed in the crankcase during the downward stroke of the piston, as will hereinafter appear. lVhen the piston reaches its extreme crank-end position, as shown to the left in Fig. 1, the inlet and exhaust ports will be wide open, and the fresh charge will be flowing into the cylinder under pressure, the spent gases being driven ahead of such charge and forced from the cylinder by way of ports 21. Such arrangement or manner ofoperation provides a scavenging action. The cycle will now be completed.

As shown, the crank shaft may be built up in sections 26, 27 and 28 connected by T- headed bolts 29, adjacent sections having a male-and-female connection 30 with each other and fixed against relative rotary moves ment by suitable keys 31. Section 28 carries a flywheel 32, while section 26 provides. a connection with the load. The number of cylinder units may be increased by disconnecting section 26 of the crank shaft and interposingbetween the same and section 27 one or more sections, as desired, the new section or sections being identical to section 27 and connected to adjacent sections in the same manner as the latter is connected to section 28.

Fuel is drawn into thecrankcase 22 from supply conduits. 33 by way of the ports 34 in the crank shaft sections. The arrangement is such that when piston 15 has moved upwar from the extreme cranl-aend post tion, as shown to the left in Fig. l, to a position whereat ports 23- are out of registration with ports 24 and the pressure in the crankcase is below that in the associated conduit 33, port 34 will begin to come into registration with the latter and will be in full registration with the same when the piston has moved a relatively short distance further. After the piston has passed beyond the ex treme head-end position thereof, shown to the right in Fig. 1, port 84: will be out of regis cation again with conduit 33, and the fresh. charge previously drawn into the crankcase during the upward stroke of the piston. will be compressec therein. From the foregoing it will be seen that at the end of the power strike of the piston, when ports 23 are partially or substantially fully in regis tration with ports 24-, the fresh charge pro. viously compressed in the crankcase will flow into the cylinder at a relatively high, rate, and drive the remaining spent gases ahead and out through ports or passages 21 with a pronounced scavenging action.

The piston 15 and the central portion 17 of the cylinder construction may be provided, respectively, with suitable piston rings 35 and 36, as indicated.

in the construction shown in Fig. 1, the passages 21 are in the nature of circumferentially spaced slots cut in the upper edge portion of the flange or valve member 20, that is, toe material of the flange between the in ner and outer faces thereof and throughout the length of these passages, is entirely removed or cut away. In lieu of such construction, that shown in Fig. 6 may he used, wherein the upper end portion of the passage 21a, corresponding to each of the passages 21 in F 1', is formed within the outer or fre edge portion of the flange or valve member 20, the outer wall 37 throughout the entire length of the passage and the upper end portion 38 of the inner wall being left intact, as shown.

An important feature of the present improved construction resides in the disposition of the central cylindrical head portion 17, which extends into the cylinder bore a substantial distance beyond the upper edge of the inner cylindricalwall 18 of the cylinder, in overlapping relation with respect thereto for three hundred and sixty degrees around the cylinder. W hen the piston, therefore, has completed its compression stroke. as shown at the right in Fig. 1', and the compressed charge is ignited, both of the two outside rings 35 just above the ports 23 are pressing against the cylindrical wall. 18 of the cylinder for the entire three hundred and sixty degrees around the same. These rings are, accordingly, both effective to hold the tremendous pressure developed within the piston at this time, and prevent any preciable escape of the gases, at this pressure by way of ports 23 and upwardly between the piston and cylinder wall to the exhaust way of a substantial increase in compression and a corresponding increase in efiiciency.

The modification shown in Fig. 8 is substantially identical to the construction shown in Fig. 1, except that the ports 23?), corresponding to ports 23 in Fig. 1, are a substantial distance above the base of piston 15, and are directed downwardly, as shown, s that the fresh charge entering the cylind-r under pressure is directed, as indicated b the arrows, away from the exhaust ports passages 21?), corresponding to passages 0 9i as being in the extreme crank-end position. As shown more clearly in 5, ports 2%, are sharply inclined so that the fresh charge enters the cylinder a direction substantially tangential with respect to the inner cylindrical face of flange 20 whereby .a swirling movement of the charge is induced, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. of the ports or passe 217) in Fig. is formed or provided as is passage 21a in 6, except that the outer wall 37 at each port is removed.

In the modification shown in Fig. l, the construction is substantially identical to that shown in Fig. 1, the arrangement of intake and exhaust ports, however, being reversed, that is, ports 210, corresponding to exhaust ports 21 in Fig. 1, are intake ports and admit he fresh charge into the cylinder from the supply passage 12c providing communication vith the crankcase. The ports 23c, corresponding to inlet ports 23 in Fig. 1, are exhaust ports, and provide for discharge of the spent gases into the exhaust passage or manifold 130. In Fig. 4, the piston is shown in the extreme crank-end position, whereat the exhaust and inlet ports are fully open. After the piston completes the first part of the upward stroke, the exhaust and intake ports will be closed, and the fresh charge will thereafter be compressed, until the piston reaches its extreme head-end position, at which time the spark plug 250 operates in the usual manner to ignite the charge. completion of the greater part of the following power stroke, the exhaust and inlet ports will again be opened to permit discharge of the spent gases and admission into the cylinder of a fresh explosive charge, as indicated by the arrows.

in the modification shown in Fig. '7, the construction is similar to that shown in l, the exhaust ports 23d, corres riding to exhaust ports 230 in Fig. 4;, being, however, disposed a substantial distance above the base of the piston 15 and immediately below the inlet ports 21d, as shown. In Fig. 1' each of the inlet ports 21d is formed or provided as in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3, the piston is shown A fter' is the port 21a in-Fig. 6 exceptth at the upper end portion 38 of the inner wall is cut away. In Fig. 7 the piston is shown in the crankend position thereof. The position of exhaust ports 23d is such that the same are fully open before the piston, on the downward power stroke thereof, reaches the crank-end position. As the piston moves further on the power stroke the exhaust ports are carried beyond the lower edges of the complementary exhaust openings Edd in the cylinder wall and are almost entirely below and out of registration therewith, as shown, when the piston reaches the crank-end position. This arrangement provides for an earlier opening and a later closing of the exhaust ports, and, generally, for a greater and more effective exhaust period.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, it is to be noted that during a certain period in the operating cycle there is a substantially straight-line, upward flow of the gases through the cylinder construction from the crankcase to the exhaust passage ormanifold 13, as more clearly indicated by the arrows to the left in Fig. 1. More specifically, when the piston is passing through the crank-end position, the fresh charge previously compressed in the crankcase flows upwardly from the same into the interior of the cylindrical flange 20, during which time the spent gases flow upwardly and from the cylinder into exhaust manifold 13 by way of exhaust ports 21. Such straight-line, upward flow of the gases is interrupted when the piston has moved upwardly on the compression stroke to such position whereat the inlet and exhaust ports are closed, and just after subtantially complete displacement of the spent gases by the upwardly flowing fresh charge. It is important to appreciate that the total effective exhaust-port area provided by ports 21 is relatively great whereby rapid exhaust of the spent gases, induced by the displacing fresh charge, takes place. There is, therefore, a more complete cleansing or scavenging action than has been possible in constructions proposed heretofore.

The constructions shown in Figs. 3 "and 7 have an important advantage over the others. This is attributed to the disposition of the ports 23?) and 23d substantially at the midsection of the piston flange 20. In each of these constructions, when the piston is at the end of the compression stroke and the spark gap operates to ignite the compressed charge, the only piston rings subjected at this time to the high pressure developed, are the two rings in the cylinder head portion 17 With reference to the righthand cylinder in Fig. 1, however, it will be seen that during the same operating period in this construction, the two piston rings in the piston flange 20, just above ports 23, are subjected to the high pressures, as Well as the two opposite rings in the cylinder head portion 17.

Engines constructed in accordance with my invention may operate on the so-called Diesel cycle, in which case the spark plug may be omitted.

My present improved construction may be embodied in internal combustion engines for various purposes, such as outboard motors, automobile and airplane motors, etc.

It is to be understood that my present improved construction is of broad adaptation, and may be embodied in constructions for internal combustion engines other than those shown and described Without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the claims.

T he invention claimed is 1 An internal combustion engine comprising an inverted piston and a cylinder therefor having passages for the admission of operating fluid into and the exhaust of spent gases from the cylinder, said cylinder provided with a central cylindrical head portion having an outer cylindrical Wall concentric with and spaced from the inner cylindrical wall of said cylinder, said head portion extending into the cylinder bore a substantial distance beyond the upper cure of said inner cylindrical Wall in overlapping relation With respect thereto for substantially three hundred and sixt 7 degrees around the cylinder to provide an annular passage communicating with one of said first-named passages, said piston having a sliding lit in said annular passage.

2. In an internal combustion engine, cylinder construction having a reentrant head portion spaced from the cylinder Wall to provide an annular passage, and an inverted piston having a flange slidable in said passage and provided at its free edge with a set of ports and at substantially its mid-section with a second set of ports;

In Witness whereof, I hereto affix my sig nature.

JOHN M. lVILLIAMS, JR. 

